Darias didn’t think he could even raise his head. Nothing in his life had prepared him for the bone-deep sense of completion that had left him spent and replete.
He summoned enough energy to speak. “Another demonstration like that and I won’t see dawn.”
Riana smiled, a look of pure, female satisfaction on her lovely face. “Trust me.”
* * * * *
Deep gold touched the horizon. Darias pushed a wisp of tangled hair off Riana’s face.
The Punishment Stone was damn uncomfortable. Then again, its design was never meant for two people.
He drew one finger over her high cheekbones to her full bottom lip.
She sucked in the tip of his finger.
His lower body stirred in response.
Impossible. After last night it should have needed a full month to recover.
Riana straddled his hips and trailed kisses between his pecs down to his navel. She dipped her tongue inside and his body roared to life.
Then again, around Riana he’d been known to be wrong before.
The sun was just creeping above the walls of the keep when he was able to speak again.
“Why the cuffs?” he asked, truly curious.
“You hated the punishment.”
He nodded.
“I didn’t want you haunted by memories of what I did to you here, what you did to me. I wanted you to remember the pleasure we gave each other.”
“Couldn’t you have just told me your plan?”
She shook her head, amusement flaring in her eyes. “If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that the men of Nexar are as thick as Anjarian mud. And their leader is the worst. You needed proof.” She waggled her brows. “Besides, I suspected I needed a captive audience when I opened my little bag.”
Darias scowled, his pride pricked by the implication he was afraid of anything. “We can get along without any tricks from a bag. Last night proved that.” His curiosity piqued, however, he couldn’t resist asking, “What’s in the bag? You didn’t take anything from it last night.”
“Because I got distracted.” Riana hopped down from the stone. She had to steady herself with one hand on his stomach for a moment. “If we can get along without the bag, I guess you don’t need to see what I had planned for this morning, hmm?” She scooped up her clothes in one hand and the bag in the other.
“Shame. The feather is my absolute favorite.” The words floated over her shoulder as she strolled up the path leading to the bedchamber. Her lushly curved derriere disappeared from view.
Feather? What could she do with a feather?
Darias exploded off the bench, determined to find out.
* * * * *
Riana was just rounding the last curve in the garden path when Darias came racing up behind her. Sending a provocative glance over her shoulder, she took off. In less than three strides, Darias was upon her, sweeping her up in his powerful arms.
Laughing, she wound one arm around his neck and cradled the black bag to her abdomen with the other. “I thought you were worn out.”
“I recovered.”
“Um, so I see. Does this mean my little bag interests you after all?” Beneath her bottom, she could feel his staff stirring.
“It means you interest me.” Darias buried his head between her neck and shoulder and nipped sharply before laving the small wound with his tongue.
Something inside Riana melted. To her amazement, the heat from his mouth seemed to have a direct connection to her sex. She grew moist.
Darias sucked, using his teeth and the tip of his tongue to worry the sensitive skin over the pulse thrumming in the side of her neck.
Wriggling in his arms, trusting that he wouldn’t drop her, Riana turned until she could nuzzle the spot where arm and chest met, drawing the tender flesh between her teeth.
The arm holding her trembled and hot air gusted just below her ear. Clutching her tighter against his chest, Darias hurried into the bedchamber, tossing her onto the bed.
Riana giggled, giddy with how her plans had been fulfilled beyond what she’d imagined.
“Laugh now, wench, we’ll see who is left smiling and who will be too tired for even such a small movement,” Darias growled, one knee on the mattress, his hands splayed on each side of her head.
“Promises, promises,” she taunted, loving this playful side of Darias. For a minute, regret at the time they’d wasted, each trying to conquer the other, washed over her. Riana shoved it away. She couldn’t change the past, but she could change the present. She reached for him. Her hip nudged the black sample bag, reminding her of her plans for the items inside. She rolled quickly from between Darias’ caging arms. He straightened, one knee still on the bed.
Facing him, she unlatched the bag.
Instantly, his face tightened.
Something inside her chest clutched and ached. Despite his surrender earlier, it was obvious he still didn’t fully trust her.
“Even after last night,” she said quietly, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. “Even after everything we shared, you still can’t bring yourself to trust me, can you?”
Her hands shook, and she gripped the smooth moika leather of the bag to still them, waiting for an answer she already knew.
His golden gaze was turbulent.
He opened his mouth then closed it. A muscle in his jaw worked. His need to give himself over to her, to experience everything she could show him, vying with his inbred modesty and his hard-learned lessons in obedience and punishment. Slowly his eyes lowered to her hands as they rested on the sample bag.
“I believe you were going to show me why the feather is your favorite.”
His lashes lifted, meeting her eyes. Darias shifted and settled onto his back on the soft mattress, keeping her mesmerized with nothing more than his molten-gold gaze. He lifted his arms over his head, gripping the carved wooden spindles of the headboard and spread his legs, his eyes never wavering from hers.
Her breath stilled, caught in her throat. He’d given her the ultimate gesture of trust a Nexarian male could offer a woman. Tears burned her eyes even as a trembling smile lifted the corners of her mouth.
“I think it only fair that you get the chance to decide for yourself if the feather will be your favorite.”
His eyes heated as he understood her unspoken message. That, although he had made himself completely vulnerable to her of his own free will, the decision whether to continue would remain his.
An utterly masculine smile, full of hunger and sex, curved his lips. “Then, by all means, let us see what is in your bag of tricks.”
Feeling incredibly light and happy inside, she turned a decidedly wicked grin on the man splayed so openly for her pleasure. “Are you sure you’re strong enough? I mean, after last night, are you sure you’re not too…exhausted?”
He frowned, an affronted expression crossing his face.
She smiled. Teasing Darias when he was serious was fun, but teasing Darias when he was in a playful mood just might be addicting.
“Woman, it would take more than one night of unbridled sex and two black bags to exhaust me!”
Riana giggled. Actually giggled. Pushing the black bag ahead of her, Riana crawled up the bed until she was between his legs. Her breath snagged in her throat. His shaft was full and hard and as she watched, it swelled further.
Perhaps the man wasn’t exaggerating. Perhaps, despite her best efforts, last night hadn’t tired him out, after all.
Sitting back on her heels, she studied the man sprawled before her.
His eyes glinted from between thick, black lashes as he stared back. Arms above his head, the silky, dark hair under his arms was revealed.
Heat pooled low in Riana’s belly. The sight of the dark tufts was unbearably erotic—and utterly vulnerable.
She swallowed, trying to ease her dry throat.
Zethra, the man was gorgeous.
The urge to taste him, to take his cock between her lips until he was arching
and pleading with her to take him deep inside her body, was overwhelming. She licked her lips and tamped down her desire. First play, and then they could get down to some serious fucking.
Riana cleared her throat and wrenched her gaze from the temptation before her, focusing on the contents of her bag.
What to choose, what to choose? Ah, yes, the aforementioned feather. She couldn’t ignore that. Taking the half-a-meter-long iridescent feather from the bag, she set it to one side.
Darias’ gaze followed her every movement. She suppressed a grin as she tried to picture his reaction to some of the more exotic items residing in her sample case. No, better not. Not yet, at least. Best to start slow. Her brow creased before it cleared. Her hand closed about a short, squat jar. Ah, just the thing.
She hoisted the goldjel like a victor hoisting a banner.
“What is that?” There was a catch in his deep voice. Was it worry or curiosity?
“This,” she twisted off the lid and dipped a forefinger inside, “this is goldjel.” She watched him closely for his reaction and gave a tiny, silent sigh of relief when confused amusement slid into that golden gaze.
“I can see the gel is gold, what I want to know is what it is used for?” He frowned.
Riana couldn’t restrain another giggle.
Her hand flew to her mouth. A giggle! She never giggled. Then again, she couldn’t remember ever feeling this happy. That in this, at least, Darias was willing to put aside their fight and put his trust in her. If that wasn’t worth a little giddiness, then nothing was.
Crooking her finger, she scooped some of the viscous gel out of the jar and let it ooze back down. “No, goldjel. It is from the Beta Epsilon system.”
He eyed it suspiciously. “What does it do?”
She widened her eyes in feigned innocence. “Why, how would I know? After all, I’m just a poor female.” She scooped up more of the gel, this time letting it slide down her finger toward her wrist.
“Riana,” he drawled in warning, his hands squeezing the spindles harder, as if he had in mind something else he’d rather wrap his hands around.
She scooted closer. “Rather than trying to explain, let me demonstrate instead.”
A small puddle of goldjel pooled in her palm. Riana took his straining cock in her free hand and held it steady while she dribbled the thick gel over the head. Immediately, the gel hugged the hard male flesh, coating the entire flared cap.
Darias’ hips jerked. His eyes widened and his mouth worked around words that wouldn’t form.
She smiled wickedly as she upended the small jar and let the goldjel slide out. With a seeming mind of its own, it shaped itself to Darias’ cock and balls.
“Shevet, it acts as if it is alive!”
“It is.”
“What?” he bellowed, his hands turning loose of the spindles.
“Easy,” she soothed, putting a hand on his muscled abdomen and patting him. “It won’t hurt you.” She glanced from his hands to the spindles.
With obvious reluctance, he renewed his grip on the thick, polished wood.
“Goldjel has a natural affinity for male pleasure, instinctively knowing a man’s threshold of pleasure and holding him there.” She arched an eyebrow as something occurred to her. “Darias?”
“W-what?” A subtle tremor went through his strong limbs as the goldjel vibrated with a low-level intensity.
“You do know why I was in this sector when the ion storm caused me to crash on this planet, don’t you?” Odd, but despite weeks in Nexar and the intimacy between them, Riana wasn’t sure if he knew such a basic thing about her.
His head arched back and his throat worked. Finally, he gritted out from between teeth clenched with pleasure, “No. It didn’t matter. I had you. What you did in the past, was in the past.”
Riana didn’t know whether to kiss him or smack him.
Exasperated, she put her hands on her hips. “The past was the past? Darias, you are an arrogant dragon.” Laughter bubbled up. “But you are my dragon. Well, whether you want to know or not, I’m going to tell you.”
“Could we talk about this later?” His hips pumped and the goldjel pulsed. He sounded strangled. “You were going to teach me about the feather.”
“I still am.” She picked up the feather and ran her hand up it, ruffling the soft edges of the vane. “I’m a trader. I go from sector to sector looking for new goods to sell and offering what I have to anyone who is interested.” She brushed the tip of the feather over his lips.
His eyes shot open, surprised at the tingle the feather left in its wake.
He wet his lips. “What does that have to do with the feather?”
“Guess what I trade?”
“Feathers?” His gaze went unfocused as she trailed the tip of the feather down over his chin and throat, to the point between his masculine nipples.
She could tell he wasn’t really interested in her answer. He was intent on the so-light touch.
She tapped it against his breastbone to garner his full attention. “Feathers, goldjel, Wa’Shin balls, sonic nipple clamps, stim paddles.” Riana shrugged. “Whatever I think I can find a market for.”
He looked up, myriad expressions crossing his face. Disbelief, curiosity, arousal.
Riana wondered if he even remembered to breathe. “You have a business selling such things? To men?”
“And women. Not everyone is like Nexarians. Most people think of sex as something mutually pleasurable and are not afraid to experiment.”
Abruptly, he pinned her with a hard gaze.
Even though he still gripped the headboard, she had the sudden impression of danger.
She went perfectly still.
“Have you experimented?”
She licked her lips and tried to think of a way to explain. “I’ve never experimented with anyone who means as much to me as you do.” She suddenly realized it was true. The other men had been fun, but that was all. Whenever she moved on, she looked back with no regrets. Leaving Darias, on the other hand, would wrench something from her soul that couldn’t be replaced.
He must have read the truth in her eyes for the battle-ready tension left his muscles. His mouth quirked up in a self-deprecating smile. “My body is yours.”
She wanted more.
Riana felt like she had been slammed by a piece of space junk. Why hadn’t she seen that before? She wanted more than his body, more than his willing cooperation to experiment. She wanted his heart. It was only fair seeing as how he had hers.
When had love crept up on her? Was it when she realized that Darias truly cared for his people—men and women? Or was it when he broke the traditions of a lifetime to please her?
Her lips firmed as the stubbornness and determination that Sharri had often lamented would get her in trouble rose to the forefront. No matter. She would work on his emotions with the persistence of an Antarian cargo leech sucking energy from a ship. The man was already drawn to her against his will. She would build on that until he realized he loved her.
And she knew just how to start.
Dragging the edges of the feather across his skin, she circled the flat disk of his nipple.
It hardened under the light torment.
“Krel! What is that thing? It feels like small jolts of energy brushing my skin.”
“Don’t you like it?” But she already knew the answer. He couldn’t hide his response to the twin assault of feather and goldjel. “Do you want me to stop?”
“Krel, no!” he gasped as she brushed the feather over the other hard nub.
“Then you don’t mind if I do this?” As if she were painting a masterpiece, Riana drew intricate patterns over the tight muscles of his abdomen. “Or this?” She tickled his inner thigh before moving the feather to the sensitive area behind his knee. Each touch, she knew, teased his nerve endings to a higher level of arousal. The goldjel began to glow as it too increased its energy.
Fascinated, she watched as Darias’ balls tightene
d and drew closer to his shaft.
Hard breaths escaped his lips. He sounded as if he had fought an army as he gasped out, “I wouldn’t want to hamper your experimentation.” His back bowed.
Riana heard a muted hum as the goldjel increased its energy output yet another level higher.
She ran the feather over his buttocks as his hips left the mattress.
A strangled groan echoed on the air as he pumped his hips helplessly, the goldjel absorbing his come.
He was beautiful in release. He gleamed with sweat, the light defining each hard plane of his body. She was tempted to sit there and watch him, but, before the stimulation could become uncomfortable instead of pleasurable, she removed the goldjel and replaced it in the jar.
A sheen of sweat covered Darias’ body.
She leaned down and tasted the salty flesh of his stomach with the tip of her tongue. Turning her head, she rested her cheek on his heaving belly.
At last his breathing evened out.
Darias cupped the back of her head in one large hand. “I think I like your feather.”
She kissed his bellybutton. Taking a deep breath, she pushed upright. The muscles in her stomach quivered at what she was about to do. She only hoped she wasn’t pushing Darias too hard, too fast.
“Do you have faith in me?”
“Haven’t I just proved that I do?” He grinned. “To both our satisfactions?”
“Turn over.”
He did so immediately and without hesitation.
Awed by his trust, she pulled a small bottle of oil from the case. Pouring a small amount in her hand, she warmed it between her palms. The exotic fragrance of rantatia wood filled the air. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she curved them over the heavy muscles, loving the feel of his strength beneath her palms. Pressing her thumbs to each side of his spine, she dragged them down to the small of his back. Putting more oil on her hands, she sensuously massaged the sensitive area before letting her fingers drift lower.
He stiffened.
“No.”
Snuggling her cheek on the curve of his flank, she pressed tiny kisses against his skin. “Please.” She had to get him to agree, to erase the memory of his punishment in the garden and the fiasco from yesterday.
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